Alexandria, Virginia, has the nation's largest birthday celebration for George Washington — and has for a long time. Rightly so, Alexandria is Washington's hometown more than anywhere else. He was not born here, but he did grow up here.
Mount Vernon, the home most closely associated with George Washington, is actually nine miles south of Alexandria. While not formally part of the City of Alexandria, the area surrounding the estate is generally called Alexandria.
The City has undoubtedly embraced George Washington. Washington did help survey and layout the City of Alexandria. He too adopted the City as his home, having owned many properties there, organized multiple military campaigns in two wars, and served as a town trustee.
As we approach the 290th birthday of George Washington, it's hard to believe, other than mathematically, that we are 90 years from the 200th birthday when looking at the photos of that day. That bicentennial was observed by President Herbert Hoover both by speaking to a joint session of Congress and by attending the bicentennial parade in Alexandria, Virginia. I wonder, will the president attend the parade ten years from now at the tricentennial birthday celebration?
President Hoover speaks to Congress on February 21, 1932.
The U.S. Capitol was also decorated for a concert on the exterior.
The front and rear of the OurHistoryMuseum collection photograph showing president Hoover at the Alexandria 200th birthday parade are below. Zoomed-in versions are also included.
A zoom of the original and color-adjusted image.
And trying out my new colorizer app... I would say, it delivers . . . mixed results.